State dairy farmer organisations have reaffirmed their united commitment to a single national representative body for the dairy industry.
Australian Dairy Farmers CEO Stephen Sheridan said leaders from the six dairy producing states met in Melbourne in conjunction with the ADF Board to discuss the future of national dairy representation and significant issues facing the dairy industry.
The state organisations at the meeting were NSW Farmers Dairy Committee, eastAUSmilk, South Australian Dairyfarmers Association, TasFarmers, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, and WAFarmers.
Mr Sheridan said the state representatives agreed to support changes to the ADF constitution that will strengthen the organisation and ensure their ongoing support for ADF as single national representative body.
He said they recognised the need for unity and strength, especially in these times of adversity, and that the states must work together to be successful in tackling the key issues facing their industry.
All the state organisations, in collaboration with ADF, are working on a range of issues from floods in northern NSW to drought in southern states, along with increasing input costs, low opening prices, cheap overseas imports, flat retail pricing and global trade uncertainty.
“Our discussions reached a consensus agreement that we need a strong peak body to act as the single representative voice for dairy farmers,” NSW Farmers Dairy Committee chair Malcolm Holm said.
“Dairy has to run its own race representing dairy farmers.”
South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association president Robert Brokenshire echoed the comments, saying it was pleasing to reach a consensus position regarding a future ADF structure.
“We will continue to work together with an aim to fine-tune ADF’s structure and constitution over the coming months,” Mr Brokenshire said.
“We need to look to the future and what is in the interests of all dairy farmers.”
EastAUSmilk CEO Eric Danzi said “we need a national dairy body that is outcomes-focused, and I’m glad this can continue moving forward with all the state bodies represented at the table”.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free said it was reassuring that all the states are committed to a united dairy farmers advocacy organisation.
“We need to get on with the business of dealing with the very real issues affecting our dairy farmers today and into the future,” Mr Free said.
“With so many issues facing the dairy sector at the moment, including escalating input and feed costs and disappointing opening milk prices, a unified dairy farmer voice is more important than ever,” WA Farmers Dairy section president Ian Noakes said.
TasFarmers Dairy Council chair Geoff Cox was “so pleased” all the state members were able to come to agreement.
“We can now move forward as a collective group as all supported the constitutional change required to ensure we have a sustainable and representative body,” he said.
ADF president Ben Bennett said discussion centred on how to respond to the pressing issues facing farmers, and the critical importance of unity and collective representation to ensure the dairy industry remains resilient and influential at a national level.
“At a time when ag advocacy is under threat, it was great to see ADF’s state members reaffirm their desire for a single, strong national dairy farmer voice,” Mr Bennett said.
“We all recognise that unity is essential to effectively represent and advocate for the industry and to tackle the very big issues affecting farmers’ livelihoods.”